Highlights

  • Hellblade 2 explores Norse mythology with terrifying enemies and deep backstories for its Giants.
  • Illtauga and Sjavarrisi's tragic pasts shed light on the origins of the fierce Giants in the game.
  • Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 blurs the lines between reality and psychosis in a gripping Norse adventure, with the Giants - including Tyrant - being a key part of that.

The first Hellblade embraced Norse mythology, and it did so before huge titles like God of War, Valheim, and Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Set in the realm of Hel, Hellblade sees its titular protagonist, Senua, face off against a slew of Norse gods and foes, ranging from Surtr and Valravn, to Hela herself. For Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, Ninja Theory once again dives head-first into the world of Norse mythology.

Early on in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, players will be introduced to the Draugr, a horrifying enemy and the sequel's first real taste of Norse mythology. Hellblade 2 wastes no time at all in kicking things up a gear, quickly following its Draugr reveal with the confirmation that Giants not only exist in the real world, but that they're wreaking havoc on the entire land. But there's always more to things than first meets the eye in Hellblade, and that's definitely true for the Giants, who all have pretty important backstories.

Hellblade 2 Senua Close Up Cover
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Hellblade 2's Excellent Presentation Goes Far Beyond Its Graphics

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is being rightfully praised for its excellent graphics, but its stellar presentation goes far beyond just its visuals.

Hellblade 2's Illtauga Backstory Explained

The first Giant that players will meet in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 is Illtauga, a rage-filled being that causes utter destruction wherever she appears. Senua's told that Illtauga has let her hatred run free on the land, killing hundreds in the process, but Senua senses there's more to Illtauga's story. After convincing the mysterious Hiddenfolk that Senua is the Seer they've been searching for, they show her brief flashes of Illtauga's past life.

During this sequence, players learn that Illtauga was once a mere human villager named Ingunn. When a famine spread across the land, Ingunn's village was thrust into chaos, and in an attempt to appease the gods and ask for their aid, Ingunn sacrificed her newborn child to the Hiddenfolk. But Ingunn's sacrifice fell on deaf ears. As the famine continued to rage on across the land, Ingunn's guilt and self-hatred only continued to grow worse. Eventually, Ingunn lets her rage and guilt consume her, an act that turns her into the Giant Illtauga.

Hellblade 2's Sjavarrisi Backstory Explained

Soon after freeing Illtauga of her past sins and laying her to rest, Senua is tasked with "killing" another Giant. This time, it's the sea Giant Sjavarrisi, who's been frequently seen terrorizing beachside settlements. Upon reaching the settlement, Senua finds another Hiddenfolk cave, where she learns the truth behind Sjavarrisi's origin.

Originally named Saegirr, this man was a resident of the nearby settlement and a fairly well-liked citizen. But one day, Saegirr was cornered by two Bjorg soldiers. The Bjorg had come to believe that the only way to stave off the Giant attacks was by offering sacrifices, though the leader of Saegirr's settlement refused to allow that to happen. The Bjorg soldiers intimidated Saegirr into betraying his leader and friend, and following his death, the settlement learns the truth about his treachery. The townsfolk banish Saegirr, and he's eventually swept out to sea. But as he's dragged down to the depths of the ocean, he's transformed into the Giant Sjavarrisi, a powerful being racked with guilt.

Much like the first Hellblade , it's unclear just how much of Senua's second adventure is real, and how much is being projected by her psychosis.

Hellblade 2's Tyrant Backstory Explained

The final Giant that players face off against in Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2 isn't actually a Giant, or at least not a physical representation of one. Simply named "Tyrant," this final Giant appears in the form of the Bjorg leader, whom Senua fights one-on-one. Just prior to this battle, Senua learns that it was the Tyrant who unleashed the Giants upon the world in an attempt to keep the people scared and maintain his power over them, a pattern that the Bjorg leader is now following.